Chris Dungate, environmental youth worker, Groundwork Hertfordshire.

- What do you do?

I manage various projects in the Hertfordshire area. One is a not in education, employment or training programme called Green Skills, which targets 16- to 24-year-olds. Young people enrol for six weeks and carry out three weeks of landscape work to transform a garden or community space. As well as managing things in the office, I'm out there on the ground helping to direct the project.

- How do you make a difference?

It is a practical programme through which young people develop self-respect, communication skills and the ability to work as a team. By the end they can demonstrate tangible achievements by gaining a Groundwork certificate, as well as a first aid certificate. We also run employment workshops to ensure everybody finds a focus, whether it is getting a job, enrolling on a college course or training. Most of the young people have something lined up by the end of the course.